Types of Cameras:

You may be wondering what sort of camera you need. There are tons of cameras on the market, but you don't need to empty your wallet on one. Before browsing for cameras, you need to decide what type of camera will fit you best. In this thread I am going to break down 3 different types of cameras. Superzooms, compacts, and DSLRs.

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Superzooms: Superzooms are named after there long zoom lenses. Superzooms may looks similar to DSLRs, but their internal designs is closer to a digital compact. Superzoom lenses magnification can be around 7x to 18x. Superzooms can take shots that you cannot with a compact, but they often leave shots blurred because of the camera shake when using maximum zoom. I would recommend getting a tripod, and shooting in well lighted areas while using a superzoom. Superzooms have a similar image sensor like the ones in compacts, which means the quality sometimes isn't as high as it could be. Most superzooms offer more control over shutter and aperture settings, which will allow you to take better pictures.

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Compacts: Compacts are small, light and portable. There is a huge variety of compact cameras on the market ranging from $75-$200. Most of the more expensive models have a longer battery life and have higher megapixel stats. The expensive compacts offer some control over the camera, but not as much as a superzoom.

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DSLRs: DSLR stands for digital single-lens reflex. DSLRs are larger, but are for the more serious photographers. DSLRs have changeable lenses, and usually come bundled with 2-3 other lenses. On these cameras, the lens is the most important feature. Because of this, DSLRs are very easy to upgrade. There are specialist lenses that can cost up to $2,000. No matter how bad your DSLR is, if you get a good lens it will do amazing. DSLRs turn on almost instantly and have autofocus systems to keep a moving target focused perfectly. DSLRs also have very long lasting batteries that will allow you to take hundreds of photos before having to recharge. DSLRs main reason for being a step above of most other cameras is because of it's image sensor. DSLRs image sensor is huge and allows for more detailed pictures, with less digital artefacts. If you hate the quality of your pictures, and want perfection, a DSLR is for you.

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Memory Cards: This is pretty simple. I recommend having multiple high-capacity cards in case you lose one or run out of space so you can continue shooting. The higher the megapixel rating your camera is, the bigger you will need as a memory card. For every 1 megapixel is 1GB of storage needed. I currently own 3 16GB cards and 4 8GB cards. I also recommend when buying memory cards to buy online as they are overpriced in stores.

Knowing Your Camera Settings:

Shutter speed and aperture settings are the two most important settings you need to master on your camera.

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Aperture: The aperture sets the amount of light that reaches the sensor when it is exposed; the shutter controls how long it is exposed for. Once these settings are mastered you will be able to shoot in a huge range of lighting conditions, whether it is a sunny beach or a dark basement. If you want the background to be out of focus, use a wide aperture. If you want everything to be in focus use a small aperture. If your aperture isn't set right for a shot, your entire shot will not look as sharp as it could be. I recommend for landscape shots to use a small aperture for perfection. I may refer to f numbers in this thread so I will tell you what they are now. F numbers (also called f stops) is how photographers express the size of their aperture. The smaller the number = wider aperture, larger the number = smaller the aperture and sharper the image. Using a smaller aperture also allows for a depth of field so the background can be blurred out and the person will be in focus.

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Shutter Speed: Shutter speed is NOT how fast the shutter opens and closes, it is how long it is open for. The shutter just prevents light from reaching the camera sensor. Shutter speed does not use f numbers, it is expressed as seconds or fractions of a second. Varying the shutter speed has secondary effects on the overall image. Varying the shutter speed can allow you to make some creative effects like freezing time, speeding up time, or creating dream-like effects. In order to create a freeze effect you need to have a shutter speed faster than the subject. I would recommend doing 1/250th or faster for a sharp freeze effect with no blurring. Now the hardest effect to do with shutter speed is the sense of movement effect or SOM effect. This effecting is giving a target a little bit of blur to express movement, but not too much blur that it ruins the photo. I would recommend setting your speed between 1/10th-1/30th. Make sure to enable your shutter priority mode on your SLR so the aperture changes to fit the shutter automatically. If you do not have this setting you will need to configure your aperture manually.

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Camera Shake: You can stop camera shake easily by setting your shutter speed at 1/125th of a second. With this setting you hands cannot move in such a short amount of time. Keep in mind this only works in good light. If you are in a low light situation, then your shutter speed needs to be slower. Also, do not zoom. Zooming increases your chances of camera shake. Leaning against a wall can also prevent camera shake.

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Do Not Use Flash: When you take a shot with flash it will make the picture look harsh, having hard shadows and very little sense of depth. Just please avoid using flash.

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ISO: A cool thing you can do with digital cameras that you cannot do with film cameras is change it's ISO setting (sensitivity to light). Not going to go in detail with this since all models of DSLRs are different.

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Lenses: One of the greatest advantages of an SLR camera is it's ability to change lenses. There is a large variety of camera lenses that you can choose from. Just search recommended lenses for your most popular types of shots.

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Modes: I will not be going over modes because they are specific to the type of camera you own. Be familiar with your camera's manual and know all the modes it offers.

Taking Better Pictures:

Shooting Landscapes: Overall, landscape photography can be one of the most difficult to accomplish. When taking pictures of landscapes, make sure you get a sharp shot with the whole picture in focus. I would make the aperture small on landscape shots to get the most sharp image possible. Also remember that a small aperture, means a small shutter speed. I would highly recommend a tripod while taking pictures of landscapes. Also, make sure you set the ISO setting to the lowest you can in order to have a crisp final image. Don't rush when you are capturing your images. Take your time, and compose your shot. Many photographers often re-visit the site where they took a picture to get a different angle. You need to shoot at the right time of day. I would recommend shooting either during or after dawn as that is when the light is the softest and most flattering. Shooting at dawn also allows you to get a more vibrant shot as the sun is the brightest at this time. If you are forced to shoot in the afternoon under the harsh light, I would recommend using a polarizing filter. The polarizing filter can keep the sun vibrant but not harsh. The basic thing to know with landscape photography is that the sun gets softer as it gets lower. Taking pictures towards the end of the day allows for dramatic skies.

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Shooting Macro: Manufacturers use the term macro very loosely, but I define as life-size images. DSLRs require a macro lens for true 1:1 life-size macro images. You can really take macro photos of almost anything, but I mostly do flowers and insects myself. A tripod is highly recommended for these shots to avoid camera shake. I would also even recommend a self-timer so your hand doesn't shake the camera. Also, keep in mind you have to make sure your subject is still. If it is flowers, wait for the breeze to stop. The depth of field with macro mode is very narrow, so take some test shots to make sure you have the right position.

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Shooting Lightning: The main thing about shooting lightning is having the right bulb setting. The bulb setting is only available in advanced cameras and that is why I haven't included it in the camera settings part of this guide. The obvious issue with shooting lighting is that you will never know when it is going to strike. You cannot just wait and press the button when you see the flash. It may work with fireworks, but lighting is way to fast. Your reaction speed is not near the speed of lightning. Setup the camera on a tripod and get a shutter release. I prefer a wired cable release but feel free to use a infrared remote. Now use your judgement. Look at where the bolts are coming from, and the approximate delay between strikes. Shooting lightning is one of those things where you have to just keep trying. Keep taking shots and eventually you will get the one you are satisfied with. Make sure you have a decent sized memory card though, because you will be taking loads of shots.

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Shooting in Snow: When shooting in snow exposure is everything. While shooting in snow, exposure should be set much much higher than normal. When snow is underexposed, it ends up looking like grey tinted. There are a few ways you can avoid getting dull snow shots. The first is to obviously turn on snow scene mode if your camera has it. If it doesn't have this setting, just manually crank the exposure up more. Make sure you do not set it to high though. That is really all there is to shooting snow shots.

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Shooting Sunsets: The main reason I shoot in sunsets is for the silhouette. This happens because the sun is such a dominant light source. Raise the exposure a little bit, and try to take an HDR sequence. Make sure to also set the white balance to daylight. This makes the sun appear warmer. Reds and Yellows is exactly what you want in these pictures, so avoid some default settings as they lower this.

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Shooting at Night: The main thing I wan't to point out is to NOT use flash in the dark. Instead use long exposures. A tripod is important for night shots as well. You will need a cable release control and a wristwatch for timing. You need to have a bulb mode, and need to set the settings manually since automatic gets confused with night time shots. Use your wristwatch to monitor the timing of the shutter, and take the picture whenever you feel it looks right in your camera monitor. To avoid image noise, make sure your long exposure noise reduction is turned on. As always, any minor issues can be fixed in photo editing software, so don't freak out.

(Mar 28, 2014 03:08 AM)RDCA Wrote:  You should have really covered the various types of lenses, but still somewhat useful.

(Mar 28, 2014 06:13 AM)Abide Wrote:  I plan to cover lenses at a later time. There are so many different kinds that are camera specific.

(Mar 28, 2014 03:00 PM)Cubs Wrote:  Some DSLR cameras can cost way more then just $2,000.

(Mar 28, 2014 02:20 PM)Jaxon Wrote:  You should have a link to all my resources and tutorials. It has your information x10 with separate links

https://hackforums.net/showthread.php?tid=3854555